Crossbows Crossbows are a very effective weapon for hunting and warfare even by today's standards. The first evidence of crossbows comes from China in the 6th century BC. Knowledge then slowly spread westward into Europe during the period of the Roman Empire, the greatest empire of all time. The crossbow remained Rome's favorite weapon of war and hunting until the 15th century, when gunpowder was also introduced from China. Crossbows can vary greatly in design and construction. They range from 50 to 400 pounds. in the draw weight. They can be very small portable pistols or rifles, which can fire quickly and accurately up to 60 yards and kill at ranges up to 100 yards. The largest bows with 400 lbs. draw weights could have a range of over 400 yards and could launch large arrows, rocks, and other types of projectiles with accuracy while staying well out of range of most enemy fire. These bows were built with large beams and rested on wheels so that 2 men could easily change the position of the bow. These bows were very powerful but were also very slow to load and fire. They had mechanical winches, which were operated manually to pull back the bowstring. It took two men to operate these bows called siege engines. Crossbowmen protected themselves with a small shield called a pavise. The shield was hung on the soldier's back and placed in front of him just before the battle began. The preferred bow was the small rifle, which had many advantages over larger ones. This bow could be carried while loaded and ready to fire. This was not possible with a longbow. The crossbow also required less skill and practice to use effectively, while the longbow required constant practice and exercise so that soldiers could be strong enough to hold the string. And even though the longbow required more work and greater skill, the crossbow still had much more power and accuracy and worked more effectively than the longbow. In Syracuse, the thought of projecting rocks and metal or wooden darts over long distances became exactly a habit. obsession. The first siege weapons were tested by the Greeks on the young Roman navy. The Greeks tricked the Romans into believing that the gods hurled rocks from the sky at them. The mighty Romans were running around to say the least.